


berenstein

by orphan_account



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Fix-It of Sorts, Friends to Lovers, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, characters to be added as they appear, edward comes back early, love triangles are dead, set in new moon, stoners jacob and bella
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-08-27 05:23:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16696243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Bella can't live without either of them. So why should she have to?





	1. December 11th

**Author's Note:**

> hiya! first of all, thanks for reading! second of all, this story is going to be my own personal fix-it scenario. it's basically just an extremely indulgent rewrite. i'm lapushpack on tumblr if u wanna keep up with closer updates on it! enjoy hopefully :D
> 
> p.s. please listen to berenstein by the band camino! its what the title is based off of :)

It was a rainy Saturday morning when Edward arrived in Forks.

He was surprised at how much he had missed it; he’d never missed any of their previous towns before. Forks was special, though. It was where he met the love of his previously bleak, meaningless life.

Bella. He was finally going to see her again, after all this time.

Edward hadn’t planned on returning, but when Alice called him and told him she’d seen a vision of Victoria crossing the town lines, he immediately arranged travel to Washington. His intent had been to keep Bella safe, and she wasn’t safe if Victoria was still hunting her even after he left. He hoped she would forgive him for leaving so abruptly, and for all the things he had said to her. Each cruel word he had said tore off a piece of his dead heart. And how easily she had believed him… he hadn’t expected her not to fight. It made him think she was relieved to have him go, to return to her much simpler and safer mortal life. The thought was painful–a life without Bella–but he had seen no other option.

But Victoria was relentless. Even with him and his family gone, she was still hunting Bella. It was his fault she was after her in the first place, and he wouldn’t sit off in some distant country feeling sorry for himself while Bella was still in danger.

When he pulled up to the Swan residence, he felt a pang in his chest. He had missed being here, dropping Bella home after a date, driving his car home and then returning on foot, her window always open. That smile she kept just for him, always waiting. Now, though, he could see that it was closed shut. And there was something else.

Bella wasn’t alone, and Charlie’s car was nowhere to be seen.

Edward stepped out of his rental car. For the first time since he arrived, he breathed in. Bella’s scent hit him immediately, drying his throat and causing him to stagger back against the car and fight to regain his composure. It had been so long, and he was out of practice. Not for the first time, he cursed himself for ever leaving. It would take him ages to rebuild his passable-immunity to Bella’s blood. It was like the first day all over again. After the haze cleared, and he could focus on anything other than keeping himself calm, he picked up on the very distinct, unique pattern of a heartbeat.

Jacob was here.

Damn it all, of course he was. Edward calmed himself again, using his senses to gather information as to why Jacob was at Bella’s house so early in the morning. He listened carefully, listening to their soft, steady breathing. They were asleep. He felt his jealousy twist hideously in his gut. Jacob was dreaming, but Edward couldn’t decipher it. It looked like he was running through the woods chasing something, but something about it was off. He shook his head. Dreams weren’t supposed to make sense.

Edward knew he didn’t have the right to be jealous. He left her, and she moved on like the smart person she was, with somebody who could give her a life he couldn’t. But it didn’t make it hurt any less. Either way, he needed to see her. He had to explain to her why he left, and that Victoria was still after her. And then he would leave again, if that’s what she wanted.

He gathered his courage and walked to the front door, knocking on it softly. He heard her snuffle awake, a soft smile pulling at his lips as he listened. He had missed her so much, he was nearly vibrating out of his skin with anticipation. The rustle of sheets, the muted sound of her feet walking across her room, down the steps, to the door. He heard her yawn, his breath catching in his throat as the door unlocked from the inside and swung open.

His heart soared at the sight of her after all this time; pink and sleep-warm, pillow creases on her face, the scent of her blood clawing at the back of his throat. She looked a little worse for wear, like she’d been sick, but she was still radiant in his eyes.

But she was barely looking at him. “You’ve never shown up at my house before.”

What?

“What?” He asked, unable to think of anything else to say to such a strange comment. Why did she not look surprised? Had Alice told her he was coming back?

“Go away,” she mumbled, waving at him as if he’d dissipate in front of her. "I'm too tired for this right now." He frowned, confused. She started to close the door, stifling another yawn behind her hand.

“Bella?” He reached out and took her hand. She violently pulled it away, holding it to her chest like he had burned her and staring at him in complete shock. “I’m sorry for showing up unannounced.”

And to his complete and utter horror, tears began streaming down her face. “Edward,” she breathed, like she couldn’t believe it. “No. This is another hallucination. Or a dream. It has to be.”

“Hallucination…?” Edward wasn’t understanding. He expected her to scream, yell, throw things in his face. He hadn’t expected her to not believe he was even there. “Bella, it’s me. I’m here.” He took her hand again; it was warm, the pulse in her wrist jumping erratically. He shut his eyes tightly as a wave of temptation washed over him, waiting for it to pass. When he opened his eyes again, Bella was white as a sheet. “Bella…”

“No,” she said abruptly. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and stared at him with blank, emotionless eyes. “No.”

And then she slammed the door in his face.

He heard her run back upstairs, actually run, and shake Jacob awake. His jaw clenched as he heard Jacob’s drowsy voice ask her what was wrong.

“It’s Edward.”

Jacob made a soft sound in the back of his throat. “Another nightmare?”

Edward’s gut clenched with guilt. Nightmares. She was having nightmares about him. God, he really was a monster.

“No, he’s here. Like, _here_ here,” she said, and he heard Jacob quickly sit up and throw himself out of bed. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Bella.” Jacob said her name with such casual reverence that even Edward was left silent, eavesdropping from the doorstep. “Do you want my help?”

He didn’t hear her answer, but a moment later, Jacob started making his way downstairs. Bella was crying again, muffled, like she was hiding her face in a pillow. For a split second, Edward wished Jacob was able to kill him.

The front door swung open for the second time, and Edward found himself face to chest. He tilted his head up, up, up, to meet Jacob’s eyes. He’d certainly grown since the last time Edward had seen him. And he had filled out substantially, strong arms crossed over a broad chest. His hair was tied up into a messy knot on his head, presumably thrown up seconds before he came down to confront Edward, his face marred with disdain. So different from the way he looked at Bella, if Edward's memory served him correctly.

“You look different.” Edward was surprised at his tone of voice. It lacked its usual punch for Jacob. He supposed it was because he knew he was the outsider now, and Jacob wasn’t. He was trespassing. Jacob had been sleeping in Bella’s bed upstairs. He could smell her shampoo on him.

“You don’t,” Jacob retorted. Edward smiled humorlessly.

“Well, I already went through my growth spurt.”

Jacob raised an eyebrow and scanned Edward from head to toe. “Where?”

“Okay—”

“Listen, let’s cut the crap. You shouldn’t be here.” Jacob towered over Edward, immovable as any mountain. Edward sighed, knowing there was no way he was going to see Bella at all if she sent Jacob out.

“Okay, I’m going.”

“She’s serious, Cullen. She doesn’t want you here,” Jacob said, as if Edward hadn’t read his thoughts and already known that.

“I understand,” Edward replied, raising his hands in defeat. He turned on his heel, heading back to his car with his tail between his legs. He didn’t deserve to see Bella again, and they all knew it. He would hunt Victoria in secret. Bella didn't need to know, as long as she was safe. It wasn't like he could tell Jacob anyway, and Bella didn't want to see him. He heard Jacob huff behind him.

“You don’t get to feel sorry for yourself, man. You hurt her. Not the other way around.” Jacob’s words pierced through him, but they were the truth. This was a heartbreak of his own making, and he had no one to blame but himself.

“Can you just—“ Edward’s voice broke, his regret eating him alive. The look in Bella’s eyes right before she shut the door in his face wouldn’t leave him. He turned to face Jacob, who was taken aback by the anguish twisted in his features. His last words came out in as little more than a whisper. “Can you tell her how sorry I am?”

Jacob’s expression softened, just for a moment, before hardening back into its stony glare. Edward couldn’t help but hear his thoughts, promptly hiding his surprise afterwards. Jacob actually did plan on telling her.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just get out of here before she has to see you again.” Jacob turned and went back inside of the house, knowing Edward wouldn’t dare step inside without Bella’s permission anymore. His suspicion proved correct; Edward did finally leave this time. Jacob sighed in private relief. He really didn’t want to have to fight anybody so early in the goddamn morning.

His feet carried him up the Swans’ creaky steps and to Bella’s room, where he caught the tail end of her hurrying away from her window. “Caught you, nosey.”

“I was just making sure he was gone,” Bella defended herself, but she had always been a terrible liar. She was curled up in her comforter, bundled like a child. The circles under her eyes were deep, her complexion pale, her cheekbones just a little too sharp. His heart broke to look at her. He wished he could just snap his fingers and fix it, bring the life back to her eyes and the warmth to her smile. He had no doubt in his mind Edward was sorry. How could he not be after seeing the state he left her in? But any idiot would be sorry to lose somebody like her, and, vampire or not, Edward was no exception.

Jacob sat at the edge of Bella’s bed, and she immediately shuffled over in her cocoon and thumped her forehead onto his back. “I can’t deal with this today.”

“Then let’s not,” Jacob said simply, reaching a hand back to pat her head. She sighed.

“How?”

“For starters,” Jacob smiled conspiratorially, pulling a joint from his shirt pocket and holding it within her field of view, “How about this?”

Bella lifted her head and gasped, immediately plucking it from his hand and flinging herself over to her bedside table to find a lighter. Jacob laughed, flopping back onto her mattress. Nothing cheered Bella up more than a good high. And she never had better highs than when they were together. She told him herself. The memory of it made him smile, a warmth spreading through his chest.

“Here.”

Bella passed the joint over and he took a long hit, instinctively holding it in for as long as he can, like they used to dare each other when they were first trying it out. If he was being honest, he liked the feeling of being lightheaded. His thoughts were too heavy nowadays. It was nice to be able to quiet them for a while. He held the joint out of the way as Bella threw her legs over his stomach.

“What’s the plan for today, then?” She asked, holding her arm out and wiggling her fingers to signal she wanted a hit.

Jacob thought the question over as he passed it. “We could go see a movie,” he suggested.

“Face Punch?”

“Face Punch.” They grinned at each other and rushed to get up.

* * *

Jacob waited by the doors while Bella purchased their tickets, a little embarrassed he was still a year away from being able to himself. She only gave him shit for it for a second, though. He thanked Bella when she returned, and held the door open for her. And subsequently four other people. Then he followed her inside.

He stretched his hand out and she took it easily, swinging their intertwined hands in the space between them. They grabbed some popcorn and agreed to share a soda; two straws because Jacob “didn’t want cooties”.

Face Punch was actually hilarious, from the perspective of two teenagers absolutely baked out of their minds. Jacob lost count of how many times they burst out laughing at some cheesy line or another, but it was great to see Bella enjoying herself. Halfway through the movie, Jacob started getting uncomfortably warm.

“Is it hot in here?” He whispered to Bella, who looked at him in confusion.

“I’m freezing.”

“I’m sweating,” Jacob told her, his voice tinged with a little bit of panic. Bella put the back of her hand on his chest.

“Jesus, Jake. Your heart is beating like crazy. C’mon,” she pulled him out of his seat and they hurried out of the theater. He ran to the bathroom and leaned over the sink, breathing heavily. He opened the faucet and splashed some water onto his face, but it didn't help.

A moment later, Bella walked in, her nose scrunched at the smell of the men’s bathroom. “Are you okay?”

“What are you doing in here?” He laughed breathlessly, amused by Bella’s nerve despite the panic setting in.

“Making sure you’re not dead, stupid.” Bella rolled her eyes, brushing some of his hair out of his eyes. “Are you dying?”

“I don’t think so,” Jacob whispered. “Can you take me home? I’m sorry.”

“Of course, Jake. Let’s go.”

They left the theater together, locating her car in the parking lot and getting in. Jacob was visibly sweating now, his head cloudy and dazed. God, he hoped he wasn’t getting sick. He didn’t want to leave Bella alone right after Edward dragged his sorry ass back to her.

Their drive home was silent without the radio, and if Jacob hadn’t been burning up the entire time, it might even have been pretty nice. The skies were clear for once, a bright, full moon above them. It was beautiful. His fingertips touched the glass without his permission, an unfamiliar feeling rising in his chest as he looked at the moon. The heat spiked, suddenly, along with a rush of pain, and Jacob doubled over.

“Jacob?!” Bella glanced at him quickly, reaching a hand out to rub his back.

He flinched, overstimulated. His body hurt like hell, he couldn’t think, and now the truck was starting to make him feel claustrophobic. Jacob began gasping for breath as he fumbled with the window, trying to get it open, unsuccessfully. Bella pulled over and immediately ran around to his side of the truck and wrenched the door open, taking his head in her hands. “Jacob, what should I do? What’s going on?”

Jacob couldn’t find a way to answer her. It was like he was sinking deep into his own consciousness, trying his hardest to stay afloat but losing horribly. He was being pulled farther and farther away from reality, and he was scared. He could see Bella, but as if she were under water. He tried to swim to her, but something dragged him back down again. He could hear her calling his name. He could do nothing.

A twig snapped in the trees behind Bella, and she spun around quickly, her heart jumping into her throat. She immediately thought of Victoria. She couldn’t protect Jacob from her. Bella stood in front of his hunched body still folded up in her passenger seat, fumbling for the crowbar under the seat her dad put there. Brandishing her weapon out in front of her, she stared into the trees and tried to identify the source of the sound. “Who’s there?”

“Bella,” a voice said, one she faintly recognized but couldn’t place. The owner of the voice stepping out from the darkness, and she felt her anger rise.

“You,” she hissed at Sam Uley, who came out with his hands up and two boys flanking him. One of which was Embry, hair cropped short and... different-looking. “Stay away from him.”

“I’m not going to hurt him, Bella,” Sam said patiently. “But he could hurt you, and I know he’d never forgive himself for it.”

“Jacob would never hurt me,” she insisted, holding her crowbar out even further. She wasn’t about to be intimidated by some cultist. Jacob groaned softly behind her, and she automatically turned her head to check on him, her panic rising again. “What’s happening to him?”

“Biology,” Sam said simply. “I’ll explain everything, I know there’s no use trying to keep it from you. I know you know about the Cullens. Please just let me help him. We’re running out of time.”

What did Sam know about the Cullens? He couldn't possibly know.

Bella looked at Embry, who she had come to know pretty well during the last few months. He smiled at her with that same boyish smile, and she felt her nerves settle, just the smallest bit. He looked okay. And if he was okay, maybe Jacob would be too. She couldn’t help him, as much as she wanted to. She hated to admit it, but Sam was his best bet, if he really knew what was going on.

“Okay,” she said, releasing Jacob and stepping out of the way so Sam could help him out of the car and into the woods. “But I’m coming with you.”

“Bella—“

“That wasn’t a request,” she stated firmly, locking her truck and following after them. Sam sighed, and the other guy she hadn’t met yet behind him snorted.

“She’s ballsy, I’ll give her that.”

“She is right here.” Bella stared him down. The boy grinned and mock-bowed.

“Enough, Paul. We have to get Jacob to—” Sam started, just as a previously limp Jacob started to fidget. “Shit. Shit, shit, shit.”

He dropped Jacob like a log, right in the middle of the path. Bella took a furious step forward to rip him a new one for being so careless with him, and then took several stunned steps back as Jacob began to convulse and writhe on the forest floor. “Jake! What’s happening to him?!”

“Bella, stand back!” Sam shouted at her, and she quickly pressed herself against a tree, Embry flying over to stand in front of her, placing himself between her and Jaocb. What the hell was going on? She peeked around the boy’s tall frame and gasped.

Jacob was changing. She watched in equal parts horror and amazement as his bones cracked and shifted, a stabbing pain running through in her chest as Jacob cried out in agony. She wanted so badly to run to him and make it go away, but with the wide berth the other guys were giving him, it was a bad idea and she knew it. Suddenly, where the change had been slow, it picked up exponentially. Bella covered her ears as Jacob began to scream, unable to stomach it. Her eyes were wide, and for good reason; had she blinked just then, she would have missed it.

Now, where Jacob had been laying, stood an enormous, pitch-black wolf. Its thick fur rippled as it stretched, long and languid. 

"Holy shit. Are you kidding me? _Him?_  "

"He's the grandson of Ephraim Black. Of course it's him." 

"But Sam, doesn't that mean—" 

"Jacob?" Bella whispered. 

It turned its giant head towards her, and any fear Bella had rising within her was squashed immediately. Its eyes were a deep, warm, _familiar_ brown. She stepped forward. 

"Bella, _no_ —"

She freed herself from Embry's cautionary grasp. "Jacob wouldn't hurt me." 

"He's not himself right now," Sam warned her. "Stay back." 

She shot him a look, her heart thundering in her chest as the wolf stared back at her, unmoving. "Jacob?" 

Bella stretched her arm out, ignoring the warning shouts from the others. 

Jacob would never hurt her. 

She stepped forward. 


	2. december 12th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *narrator voice* our heroes journey on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> boop next one!

_She stepped forward._

Her hand settled into his fur easily, and the others collectively let out a breath as Jacob did nothing more than close his eyes and bump her hand with his nose, making her smile.

“We should get him home,” Sam said. “Billy will want to see him.”

Bella nodded, her hand falling back to her side. A low whine escaped Jacob, and she composed herself enough to say goodbye to him.

“Call me as soon as you can, okay?” She insisted. Jacob nodded once. Embry waved at her cheerily as he followed Sam and Paul back to the reservation. Jacob nudged Bella with his head, causing her to huff out a soft laugh. “Go, Jake. I’ll be okay.”

He hesitated for just a moment longer and then followed the others into the trees, quickly disappearing from sight.

Bella turned around and headed back to her truck, wondering just what the hell her life was shaping up to be. Jacob was a werewolf. Jacob. Her oldest and best friend who used to cry every time Bella fell and hurt herself, even if she didn’t. An actual werewolf. 

And Edward was back.

It was like all the air had been sucked out of her lungs. Bella struggled to catch her breath as everything she had been pushing deep, deep down rose threateningly to the surface.

“1, 2, 3…” she counted, all the way to 10. It was a coping skill she learned in therapy, and it always helped her more than she expected it to. Next, she closed her eyes and grounded herself. “I am in the woods, walking back to my truck. I smell dirt. I feel dry leaves crunching under my shoes. I hear birds. I am okay.”

She was okay. And alive, no thanks to Edward.

Him showing up on her doorstep crying crocodile tears didn’t change anything, she decided as she unlocked her truck, if he couldn't admit he was wrong. 

* * *

Bella had just settled into bed for the night when she heard tapping on her window. Her stomach dropped as she realized it wasn’t the usual, irregularly timed clunks of Jacob’s rock tossing.

It was rhythmic, muted, and horribly familiar.

She counted to 10 once, and then once again before sitting up and throwing the comforter off of her. The chill of the room hit her instantly, and she shivered as she reached for the blue hoodie Jacob left on her bedside table last night. It would probably irritate her unwanted visitor, but Bella couldn’t face him alone.

She pulled the hoodie over her head and fit her arms through, immediately comforted as Jacob’s scent washed over her. It was ridiculous baggy on her, but with how safe she felt in it, it might as well have been armor.

Bella then took a deep breath and turned to face the window.

Edward was hanging on the windowsill, watching her. He was still devastatingly beautiful, even with such a miserable expression. She swallowed the lump in her throat and made her way over to open the window.

To her surprise, Edward didn’t immediately make his way inside. He stayed on the sill, unmoving. “Y—“ She cleared her throat and tried again, keeping her voice as level as possible. “Yes?”

A beat. Edward looked thrown off guard, as if he hadn’t planned for her to open the window at all.

“Hi,” he blurted out, and then shook his head a little too hard. “No, that’s not what I wanted to say.”

Bella tugged on the sleeves of Jacob’s hoodie, pulling them over her fingers. “What do you want, Edward?”

It used to hurt like hell, saying his name. Over time it became easier to stomach, but now that he was real again... she blinked back the tears welling up in her eyes. Unfortunately, it didn’t go unnoticed by Edward, who almost reached for her before thinking better of it. She hated the disappointment that came over her, and how badly she still craved his touch.

“I—I had to... see you,” Edward said. “I’m sorry. I know I should leave you alone, but...” he trailed off, a self-deprecating smile forming. Bella sighed.

“I'm cold. Come inside before somebody sees you,” she said, stepping away from the window. Edward looked at her in shock, staring a moment too long like he was certain she was joking. When she rolled her eyes and went to sit on the bed, he took the hint. He slipped through the open window easily and shut it behind him, a heavy silence settling in the room.

Edward stood by a corner awkwardly, looking everywhere but her. “Your room is different.”

“Yeah I... changed some things.” Neither of them mentioned the missing pictures on her wall. 

“Bella,” Edward said abruptly, his voice unexpectedly desperate. She looked up from where she had been picking at a loose thread, deliberately controlling her facial expression. Edward was looking worse by the second. “Please, please, believe me when I tell you that it was never my intention to hurt you.”

Bella scoffed. Edward ran a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes in an oddly human way. He sighed, and then started walking towards her.

“No,” Bella stopped him, holding a hand out in the space between them. Her heart was beating fast, and she knew he could hear it, but she didn’t care. “You don’t get to just walk in here and act like everything is okay. Everything is not okay. I am not fucking okay, Edward.”

She took a shuddering breath. He retreated back to the corner, a wounded expression on his face. “Bella, I—“

“No!” She hissed, suddenly furious. “No, it’s your turn to listen. What you did to me was cruel, Edward. Unnecessarily cruel. I would have understood if you had only said it was for your family’s safety. But you—“ her words caught in her throat, threatening to choke her. “You told me I wasn’t enough. That it was _my_ _fault_. You said you didn’t want me.”

“Those were lies, Bella, of _course_ they were lies. I had to. But you believed me so easily—“

She wiped at her eyes angrily, her hands balling into fists afterwards. “You shouldn’t have said it in the first place! It was brutal, Edward. You took everything from me and made it seem like it was my fault.”

Realization slowly dawned on Edward’s face, his features crumpling as he understood what he'd done. It looked like he was about to cry, if it were possible. She’d never seen him like that.

“Bella,” he whispered, his voice broken and pleading. “Please believe me. I had no idea that’s what you thought. I thought I was doing the right thing. To keep you safe. I just wanted you to have a normal life. To have a life at all.”

Her laughter laced with a sob created a horrible, painful sound. “And did you ever think to ask what I wanted?”

“To be damned, like me?”

“No, you stupid, ridiculous boy,” Bella dropped her head back and squeezed her eyes shut. She had to stop crying. “I just wanted you. Forever, yeah, but not if you didn’t want me for that long.”

Edward’s self restraint finally broke, and he immediately rushed over to her despite her earlier warning. This time, though, she let him take her face in his hands and lift her head to meet his pained, golden eyes.

“I will always, always want you, Bella. Always,” he swore fiercely. “I’m so sorry for everything I said. I’m so sorry I made things worse on your birthday and blamed you for it. It was never your fault. It was an accident that I escalated, and I handled it the wrong way. I am so sorry I hurt you. I will never be able to say it enough. I don’t deserve your forgiveness or your trust, but I want to make it up to you. I have to. Please give me the chance to show you.”

So much for not crying anymore.

Edward took her into his arms, and she wrapped hers around him in return so tightly she could hardly breathe. She buried her face into his shoulder as she finally released the hurt that had been festering inside of her heart. She hadn’t ruined everything by being human. Edward never stopped loving her. He was an idiot, and she didn't forgive him completely, but he was her idiot.

“Tell me what you’re thinking?” He asked softly, after her tears quieted to occasional sniffles.

“I love you,” she said into his neck, and his arms tightened around her. “And I missed you so much, but... I don’t want to get back together. Not yet, at least.”

To her surprise, he nodded. “I understand. I’m grateful to just be part of your life, Bella, even if that’s all I’ll ever be.”

She hugged him close, relieved and exhausted and happy all at once. He was normally so careful to not hold her too tight, but he seemed to have thrown that out of the window he came through. He held her as tightly as she held him.

They laid down a little while later, facing each other. “Sleep,” Edward coaxed her. Bella’s face must have said it all, because he then brushed a lock of hair out of her face and smiled sweetly. “I’ll be here. I promise.”

“Pinky promise?” Bella asked him seriously, holding her pinky out, almost like a test. He took it without hesitation, hooking their pinkies together firmly.

“Pinky promise.” 

* * *

Bella’s eyes fluttered open as she was pulled from her—peaceful, thankfully—dream and into consciousness. She smiled when she saw Edward still in her bed, waiting for her to wake up. It hadn’t been a dream. 

“Good morning,” she yawned, covering her mouth.

Edward smiled adoringly at her. “Good morning, Bella. Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, I did.” She pushed herself up off the bed and fumbled for her phone. No missed calls. Where the hell was Jacob? “Hey, has Jacob stopped by?”

“Funny you should ask…” Edward trailed off, looking out of her window. She followed Edward’s gaze to find Jacob walking up to the house, dressed far too lightly for the winter weather in a simple brown henley and jeans. She hurried out of bed, hissing as her feet touched the freezing cold floor.

Bella didn’t bother to hide her excitement, quickly finding some warm socks to protect her poor toes from the frostbite. The hoodie paired with her sweatpants was heavy enough to keep her comfortable. She turned to Edward when she finished, suddenly remembering again that he was really there. She could see Jacob approaching out of the corner of her eye, feeling relieved to see him alive and well so soon.

“Do you want me to leave?” Edward’s expression was earnest.

Bella thought for a moment. Jacob was her best friend. And Edward was her friend now, too, which was weird to think about. She didn’t like the idea of having to divide her time between them, though.

“No,” she said finally. There was knock on the front door. “I think we all should talk.”

He followed her downstairs easily, standing behind her as she opened the door to greet Jacob.

“Hey!” She exclaimed as Jacob grinned and opened his arms for her to all but jump into. “You didn’t call.”

“I decided to come over instead. I hope that’s okay,” Jacob said, hugging Bella tightly before setting her on her feet again. His eyes met Edward’s over her head. “Is… everything okay here?”

Bella beckoned him inside, closing the door behind him. “Of course it’s okay, I’m really happy to see you.”

She led them both to the living room, choosing to sit on the couch. Jacob sat beside her, and Edward sat on the armchair, his eyes still on Jacob.

“I’m sorry I ruined Face Punch yesterday, but I feel a lot better now,” Jacob said, taking a hairband from his wrist and tying his long hair up into a loose knot on top of his head. “I have a lot to tell you.”

“So do I,” Bella replied, a little sheepish as she glanced at Edward. Jacob followed suit, letting out a huff of laughter.

“Yeah, I see that.” He looked at Bella again, noticing for the first time what she was wearing. “And you’ve taken my sweater hostage.”

Bella crossed her arms in mock-defense. “It’s fair game if you leave it in my room.”

“It looks better on you anyway,” Jacob playfully complimented her. She rolled her eyes and hid her smile by ducking her head. Jacob nudged her knee with his. “So, first things first. What’s he doing here?”

His tone wasn’t aggressive, just curious. The animosity he had toward Edward yesterday was nowhere to be found. He stared at him calmly.

“He apologized for everything last night, and then he stayed over. We’ve decided to try and be friends,” Bella explained, and Jacob nodded his head carefully. “I was thinking it would be nice if, you know, we could all try?”

“I’m not totally sure a werewolf and a vampire can be friends,” Jacob started, Bella’s hopes sinking until he continued, “But I’m willing to try, for you.”

She reached out and took his hand gratefully, remembering not for the first time how lucky she was to have him. He placed his free hand over their joined ones, and then raised an eyebrow at Edward, who cleared his throat awkwardly.

He smiled tentatively at them. “If Jacob’s willing to try then so am I.”

Bella sighed in relief, flopping backwards into the couch. “Thank god that’s over. Now you,” she pointed to Jacob, “better start talking. A werewolf?!”

Jacob shrugged and scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah, it was a surprise for me, too.”

“Why now?” Edward asked, even though Bella was sure he’d already read Jacob’s mind. He was looking a bit more at ease now that the atmosphere wasn’t so tense. Bella was glad; she didn’t want it to be weird between any of them.

“My family is... unique, I guess,” Jacob explained. “Every Black before me who had the gene was always among the last to shift in a generation. Sam says it’s something in the chieftain bloodline. And there’s one other thing.”

Edward’s head snapped up to look at Jacob, his eyes wide. “You’re kidding.”

“Well don’t sound so surprised.”

“Uh, hey,” Bella snapped her fingers, drawing their attention back to her. “Human here, can’t read minds? What’s going on?”

“Jacob’s black coat is a recessive gene that has only manifested in a couple of his ancestors. It automatically pronounces him the natural heir to the mantle, on account of him being the great grandson of a chief,” Edward said, sounding kind of impressed. Bella furrowed her eyebrows.

“The mantle for what, though?”

“The entire Quileute pack,” Jacob said somberly. He stared at his hands.

Bella’s jaw dropped.

“Holy shit, Jake,” she gasped, shoving his shoulder. Well, she tried to. He may as well have been a brick wall with how little he budged. “So, what? You’re like the alpha now?”

Jacob snorted, his serious composure breaking. “There’s no such thing, Bella. It’s nothing like the movies. What it does mean, unfortunately, is that the life of every pack member is now in my hands.”

He seemed disturbed by it, and Bella could understand why. “Jacob,” she said softly, pulling him into a hug. He went easily. Edward met her eyes, his face sympathetic as she patted Jacob’s back. “Is there anything we can do? Sam’s been leading all this time, why can’t he keep doing it?”

“He could,” Jacob mumbled into her shoulder, “if I let him. But it just doesn’t… feel right to shove the responsibility of my inheritance on someone else. I feel like I'm disrespecting my ancestors.”

He pulled away from her and tucked a loose lock of hair behind his ear, smirking suddenly. “Besides, everyone knows I don’t take orders well.”

Bella knew that well enough from their years growing up together. Jacob seemed like a sweet, quiet guy, and most of the time he was, but he had a heavy problem with authority. Many have tried and failed to make Jacob do something he didn’t want to do.

She stood up off of the couch, crossing her arms over her chest. “Well, you won’t be doing it alone then.”

“That’s sweet, but I don’t know if you can help,” Jacob said apologetically. She didn’t take it personally, because he was kind of right. What could she do?

“But I can,” Edward’s voice came suddenly. They both looked at him in surprise. He had never been so quick to help Jacob before.

“Really?” Jacob sounded dubious, but Edward just nodded.

“The reason I came here was to warn you about something. I don’t mean to be overly confident, Jacob, but I think you’ll need my help with this one.”

Bella’s blood ran cold. “Warn us about what?”

“Victoria,” Edward said solemnly. “She’s back again.”

He then quickly looked at Jacob. “That’s her. That’s Victoria. She was that close?”

“Wait you saw her?” Bella asked, unable to process everything so quickly. Victoria was back. Jacob had seen her. “Are you okay? Did she hurt you?”

She rushed to him and began patting him all over, checking to make sure he was as okay as he seemed. Jacob started laughing and grabbed her hands, keeping them still.

“Bella, I’m fine. Really. She didn’t get anywhere near me. I saw her in Sam’s thoughts when he was catching me up to speed yesterday.” He gently pushed her hands out of his face. She sighed in relief.

“This is so stupidly stressful,” Bella complained. “Why does everything have to end in the worst possible scenario ever?”

Edward snorted, graciously accepting the flick on his forehead she gave him for mocking her. “Surely it can’t all be bad.”

“You’re right,” Bella said, looking at both of them with an amused smile on her face. “I might have a confusingly beautiful and homicidal vampire hunting me, but at least we’re all in the same room hanging out together and no one’s pulled a knife yet.”

“It’s a Christmas miracle,” Jacob agreed.


	3. december 18th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> do o-ver! do o-ver!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again! im super sorry this took ages but i suck and that's the only excuse i have
> 
> i just wanted to make a couple of notes before we head into this, bc they're important to me! 
> 
> \- I WILL be changing Jasper's backstory in the next chapter.   
> \- I promise there will be some fuckin plot, i'm just trying to get this fix-it universe rolling so everything makes sense and alla that, so please bear with me while i rebuild relationships and shit because it's important to me that these are fleshed out the right way
> 
> anyway other than that please enjoy thank you for reading! :)

Bella went to the kitchen after their conversation, and the two boys could hear her clanging plates around noisily. Edward took advantage of the time to address Jacob alone.

“I just want to thank you, for helping Bella after everything I did,” he said in a low voice, so Bella wouldn’t overhear. Jacob’s face was unreadable but his thoughts were clear as day.

_I didn’t do it for you. She’s my best friend._

_“_ I know, but thank you all the same. She seems happy, all things considered.” Edward wasn’t prepared for the accidental barrage of images that fleetingly crossed Jacob’s mind. Motorbikes, Bella’s forehead bleeding, a blood-curdling scream echoing in the middle of the night, pulling Bella out of... the ocean? Edward’s felt horror clawing at his throat. “I didn’t know. I swear to you, Jacob, I didn’t know. I’m so sorry. To both of you.”

Jacob shrugged. _It wasn’t me you fucked up._

Bella came back from the kitchen carrying two striped bowls with a spoon in each. Jacob grinned in surprise, reaching for the one she held out to him. “Thanks, Bella. I’m starved.”

“I know,” she said, settling on the couch and digging in. “I heard your stomach.”

“What are you eating?” Edward asked them, his eyes curious. Jacob tilted his bowl to show him the mac and cheese. “Is it good?”

“Of course it is,” Bella said, her cheeks stuffed with cheesy pasta. “I made it.”

Edward felt a little envious of them. He hadn’t felt tempted by human food in decades, but he would have liked to try something Bella cooked. It seemed like such a small, intimate thing, sharing a meal like this. If he tried hard enough he could _almost_ taste it through Jacob, but it was like trying to recall a dream that had already slipped the mind. It was a distant, ghost of a sensation.

Dwelling on his existence never took him down a path he wanted to be on. He changed the subject.

“What are we going to do about Victoria?”

Jacob swallowed. “We’re patrolling the reservation lines and Bella’s house, now. You may need to keep an eye on the rest of the town, make sure no people go missing.”

“The rest of the town aren’t my concern,” Edward said simply, and Bella stretched her leg out and kicked him. “What?”

“They should be! Other people’s lives matter, dude,” Bella chastised him.

“Not as much as yours,” he shrugged. Bella looked to Jacob to back her up, but he just gave her a sheepish grin.

“I technically can’t really argue with him on that one,” Jacob said apologetically. Bella sighed, staring at the ceiling hopelessly.

Edward opened his mouth to presumably explain himself when him and Jacob both visibly straightened and shared a semi-panicked look.

“What?” Bella asked just as she heard the deadbolt on the front door slide to unlock. She whipped her head around to tell Edward to hide, but the armchair he’d been occupying was now empty, all trace of him gone. Something sharp and painful pinched in her chest, the irrational fear he had disappeared again rearing its ugly head. Jacob must have seen the anxiety on her face, because he reached over and took her hand in comfort just as Charlie walked through the door.

He looked exhausted, which was to be expected from someone who worked two overnight shifts in a row. He barely grumbled when he saw them, just shuffled by to drop a kiss on Bella’s head and clap Jacob on the shoulder, heading straight upstairs to his bedroom to knock out.

Bella jumped in surprise as Edward abruptly appeared back in the armchair, a hand flying to her rapidly beating heart. Jacob flinched beside her and then pretended like he absolutely didn’t.

“He looks tired.”

Edward wasn’t wrong. And by the guilty look he gave Jacob, she could imagine what he was seeing in her best friend’s head right now. Jacob had told her about the conversations him and Charlie would have while she was asleep. She knew how exhausted her dad was, and that he blamed Edward for what happened to her.

Rightfully so, but her dad wasn't as forgiving as her. 

He is,” she responded simply, and that was the end of it.

* * *

 

The following days were, surprisingly, peaceful. It was a bit of an adjustment to them all to be spending time together as a group, but it became their new normal.

Bella and Jacob went to school during the day, and Jacob was on patrol most nights. It was a tiring schedule, but after his shift was over, he would sneak his way to Bella’s house and join her and Edward.

Sometimes Edward would join him on patrol for a short while, and they'd talk about music, and cars, and why Edward was filthy rich but chose to drive a Volvo, of all cars.

However, winter break started in a week. Bella would have more time to spend with them when she and Jacob weren’t both half-asleep, and she was excited for it. They were scheming on how to make edibles for Edward, and hopefully they were going to have it figured out by Christmas. It would be so gross, but potentially worth it.

 

Edward, on the other hand, was planning a surprise.

He had begun working on it his third day back in Forks, after the three of them had spoken in Bella’s living room. He owed it to Bella—this and more—and he was going to do all he could to make up for the things he had done. He knew nothing would fix the damage but time, and a lot of more effort on his stupid end, but it wasn't going to be enough. Jacob had been an amazing support system for her, but Edward knew what she was missing.

Something he had so selfishly ripped away from her. 

He shook the self-loathing from his skin. There was plenty of time for that later. Right now, he had phone calls to make.

His phone began vibrating in his pocket, and he smiled.

Speak of the devil.

-

When Bella pulled up to her driveway on Friday afternoon—her and Edward decided it wouldn’t be a good idea for anyone to know he was back yet, so she drove herself to school—she wasn’t surprised to see Edward leaning against his rental car, waiting for her.

She was surprised, however, to see that it was running. And the blindfold he was holding was slightly out of place, too.

Bella shut the engine of her truck off and climbed out, swinging her backpack over her shoulder and closing the door behind her. She then made her way over to Edward. He smiled handsomely at her as she got closer.

“Hello, Bella,” he greeted her. “Did you have a good day at school?”

“Yeah, sure,” she replied half-heartedly before jumping into what she really wanted to say. “What’s the deal with the blindfold?”

Edward offered it to her. “Put it on and find out.”

“Okay…” Bella said tentatively, but didn’t reach for it. “Will you do it for me?”

Edward readily stepped behind her and positioned the cloth over her eyes, shrouding her world in darkness. It was a soft fabric; silk, going by the shine she had noticed earlier. Of course.

She felt him tie the knot behind her head, securing the blindfold in place. “You know,” she mused, “it would have been way easier to put the blindfold on _after_ I got in the car?”

Edward froze. “I’m an idiot.”

She laughed, holding her hand out to him. “Lead the way, Einstein.”

An ice cold hand took hers and gently tugged her forward. 

Bella was safely buckled in no time, her nerves tingling with excitement. She didn’t usually like surprises, but she kinda deserved a little spoiling. And she trusted Edward not to hurt her again, so it had to be something he knew she’d like. She heard the driver’s door open, shut, and they were off.

The drive was quiet, the music on the radio low and nondescript. It was comfortable, in a way it hadn't been before. She had always held him on this skyscraper of a pedestal; as if he were this angel who could do no wrong. But now, she felt like they were on even ground for once. She may even have the _higher_ ground here. It was a different dynamic for them, but she didn’t miss the old one. Edward seemed more accessible to her, swimming in his own humanity, trying to handle a fuck-up like any other normal teenaged boy could. It was nice.

Of course, their circumstances were a little bit different, she smiled to herself. The car came to a slow stop.

“One moment,” Edward said softly, the sound of him opening his door loud in the quiet space.

“Edward?” She whispered, her hands reaching out to see if he was still there. The door on her side opened.

“Here.” He guided her, taking one hand to help her out and another protecting her head as she stepped out. 

“Bella, if you don’t mind, it’d be much easier for us if I could carry you for the last bit of this,” Edward’s voice came, right by her ear, startling her.

“Yeah, alright,” she agreed, and then braced herself for the horrible swoop in her stomach that was soon to come. Edward easily placed her on his back and—yep, there it was—took off.

It was over almost as soon as it began, thankfully. They must not have been very far. Edward placed her back on the ground in one fluid motion, but it was no longer grass that was under her shoes. It felt like an actual floor.

“Where are we, Edward?”

She felt him tug at the back of her blindfold, blinking rapidly as it fell from her eyes. As she focused on the scene in front of her, her heart jumped into her throat.

They were in Edward’s foyer, and it was decorated exactly as it had been on her birthday. Her eyes burned as she took it in, and she turned to Edward in anger.

Except Edward was gone.

In his place stood four familiar, heart-wrenchingly perfect faces. Before Bella could register it, she had launched herself into the open arms of the smallest one.

“Alice,” she breathed, an overwhelming sense of relief rushing through her as Alice’s cold arms wrapped around her.

“Hey, Bella,” Alice said warmly, her smile evident in her voice. Bella couldn’t believe what was happening. Alice was here. They were all here.

On second thought—she looked up at the little group and noticed two were missing. Where were Rosalie and Jasper?

Emmett caught her eye and immediately came forward and plucked her from Alice, drawing her into one of his famous bearhugs. She went gladly, taking a moment to realize just how much she had missed Emmett’s presence in her life.

“That was stupid, little sister,” Emmett said as he put her down. She flushed, and he winked at her. “It sucked. I say we don't do it again. You're officially obligated to wear gloves from now on.”

She couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her, and he grinned from ear to ear. Bella felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and turned around, feeling tears well up in her eyes as they settled on Carlisle and Esme.

“Oh, Bella,” Esme said gently, letting Bella fall into her embrace. She had missed Esme so terribly, and Carlisle—

—she felt a steady, cold hand settle between her shoulders and sighed contently. She had missed how comforting they were, the way they easily navigated each other's space, even with Bella in the middle of it. It was the kind of relationship she always wished her parents had when she was growing up.

“You made quite the impact on our family, Bella,” Carlisle said quietly. He didn't elaborate any further. Bella breathed out slowly, trying to not cry all over Esme's soft sweater.

“We missed you terribly,” Esme followed up, stroking Bella’s hair soothingly. “I’m so sorry this happened, and for our part in it.”

“No, Esme—" Bella tried to reassure her, but Carlisle interrupted in an uncharacteristic manner.

“Please don’t gift us with excuses, Bella. We have a responsibility to protect this family, but that began to include you a long time ago. We should never have left you behind,” Carlisle said. He cleared his throat, his expression settled into something like shame. “We hope you can forgive us, with time.”

Bella pulled back from Esme’s arms, looking around at all of them. “You guys, I—I _never_ blamed you. Never.”

“Of course you didn't,” Emmett answered, a sad smile on his face. Alice finished the thought for him.

“But you should have,” she said. “I should have seen it coming. It was my fault you cut your finger in the first place.”

“Alice, I’m a klutz,” Bella said in disbelief. “And sometimes humans just bleed. I should have been more careful.”

"Please stop," came Edward's weak voice behind her. Bella turned around to face him.

“What’s wrong?”

“We all know whose fault it was. Mine,” Edward replied, his eyes glued to the wall. “Arguing amongst yourselves is pointless.”

“Okay, enough,” Bella insisted. “It happened. It’s over. I just want to move on. I can’t believe you’re all really here.”

Which reminded her.

“Actually, where are Jasper and Rosalie?” She asked. The Cullens shared equally shifty looks. “What?”

“Jasper… didn’t feel it was appropriate for him to be here,” Edward explained. “And Rosalie stayed behind to keep him company.”

“Are they close by?” Bella asked. “I don't want them to be left out. Besides, I think Jasper and I have some unfinished business.”

“That’s what he’s afraid of,” Edward muttered under his breath, but dug in his pocket for his phone anyway.

While Edward called his absent siblings, Esme whisked Bella away to the kitchen after hearing the human had yet to eat that day.

“I apologize for not having the food ready yet,” Esme lamented as she pulled out what looked like the ingredients for Aglio e Olio, exactly what she would have made for Bella on her birthday.

Watching Esme cook was a little mesmerizing. For someone who didn’t eat, she cooked with the instincts and fluidity of any Michelin star chef. Bella’s heart warmed as she realized Esme had been practicing.

In no time at all, Esme was coating her freshly boiled spaghetti in the olive oil, garlic, and parsley mixture, the food gleaming tantalizingly in the warm light of the kitchen. She plated it in a little mound, grated fresh parmesan over it, and slid it over to Bella with a beautiful smile. “Bon appétit.”

“This looks… amazing, Esme. Thank you,” Bella said gratefully, digging in immediately. It was heaven, of course. Everything Esme cooked was the best thing she’d ever tasted. Every time. “Oh my god, I would die for this.”

Esme laughed, patting her on the head. “I’m so happy you like it, Bella.”

She sat in the empty seat beside Bella in content silence for a moment, and then turned to face her.

“I know that it can be difficult… dealing with this kind of stuff alone,” she started, her voice a bit hesitant. She clasped her hands on her lap. “And I know you’re a strong girl, Bella, but… if you ever need to talk about anything, please know that I’m here.”

Bella swallowed around the lump in her throat. “Thank you, Esme. It’s been really tough, but… I got help. My dad helped me find a therapist. I couldn't really explain much, but it helped to talk about it, and learn how to navigate it. Besides, I wasn't alone. I had Jacob.”

“Who’s Jacob?” Esme asked.

Edward suddenly appeared through the doorway, his expression once again bright. “Okay, Jasper and Rosalie will be here in a short while. For now, though, the other half of your surprise is waiting for us outside.”

Bella glanced at Esme, who waved her along. “Go ahead, don’t even think about cleaning up.”

“Thank you, Esme. Again,” Bella said, hugging the woman before sliding out of her chair to join Edward.

Bella followed him outside, where she found Jacob standing at the bottom of the Cullen’s front steps.

“Jacob!” She exclaimed happily, and he pulled her into a hug as soon as she got close enough. He stared at Edward for a moment before rolling his eyes and pulling him into a hug, too, by the front of his shirt.

“This shirt is so expensive,” Edward complained, and Jacob poked him on the ribs roughly. Edward shrank back, defeated.

Bella was so amused by them that she forgot an important detail about Jacob and the Cullens. 

They were natural enemies, now.

Just then, Alice came bounding out of the house. “Guys, what is that _awful_ —“

She stopped mid-sentence as her eyes settled on Jacob. He waved.

“You!” She accused, pointing her finger angrily at Jacob. Bella’s hackles rose, her protective instincts flaring as Alice stomped forward. “You’re the reason I couldn’t see her!”

Bella subconsciously positioned herself in front of Jacob, only to see Edward mirroring her. “Whatever it was, he didn’t do it on purpose. There’s no reason to yell at him,” Bella said calmly.

Alice's eyes jumped from Bella to Edward, taking stock of the situation. She stood up straight, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m not going to hurt him. I’m just upset. He’s the reason I couldn’t see you at all these past few months.”

“No, Alice,” Bella said quietly. “You were.”

Alice’s expression immediately turned regretful, but she sneered as she looked at Jacob. “Dogs aren’t allowed inside the house.”

“Alice!” Edward reprimanded her, his tone scandalized.

Shock and anger twisted inside Bella’s gut. Angry tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at the girl who she had once thought of as her loving, kind sister.

“You don't speak to him that way!” She snapped. Alice’s eyes widened as Bella shouted at her. She hadn’t been seen it coming. “He’s the only person who was there for me, Alice. The only fucking one! And I’m not bringing him into this house if you’re going to treat him like garbage, because he doesn’t deserve it. Let's go, Jake.”

She grabbed Jacob by the wrist and tried to pull him towards the direction of the road, but he didn’t budge. His eyes shined proudly as he looked at her, his smile a little sad.

“It’s your party, Bella. This is everything you wanted. They’re back. You should stay,” he said gently, releasing himself from her grip.

She took it back, holding on even tighter. His skin was soft and pleasantly warm, a sharp contrast to the winter chill. “No. Not without you. I’m not doing this again. No one has the right to take the people I love away from me.”

Bella cast an angry look at the vampire, who looked thoroughly berated. “I didn’t mean that,” Alice apologized quietly. “I’m sorry, Jacob.”

Jacob placed a gentle hand on Bella’s back and nudged her. “See? All good. Let’s just... go inside, okay? I’m fine.”

Bella nodded tentatively, but her grip on him stayed tight. “It’s not ‘all good’. Werewolf or not, you’re my best friend. No one talks to you like that,” Bella replied, her tone still aggravated. Jacob tapped her underneath the chin.

“Sticks and stones. I’ve had my fair share of unenthusiastic responses to my general existence, trust me.”

They made their way into the house. She could feel Edward and Alice’s eyes on their backs. The discussion wasn’t over, but Jacob was about to head into a house full of his kind's only natural predator to celebrate her belated birthday with her. He was Bella’s only priority.

As they walked through the front door, Bella immediately noticed two new figures standing by the kitchen, blond heads ducked together. They looked up almost as soon as she registered them; Rosalie and Jasper.

“Hey,” she said tentatively. Rose nodded her head once in greeting. She hadn’t exactly been Bella’s biggest fan since the beginning, and the incident during her real birthday obviously hadn’t helped her case.

Jasper's smile was fleeting. He avoided meeting her eyes. “Nice to see you again, Bella.”

Jacob snorted beside her. “The energy in here is so weird right now.”

Bella elbowed him in the side. It hurt, but she played it off it. “Can I talk to Jasper alone?”

She wasn’t asking Jacob; her eyes were on Rosalie.

"Absolutely not," she said, giving Bella a defiant look. She moved to stand in front of Jasper until he stopped her with an outstretched arm. 

“It's okay, Rose. But think Bella's friend should stay,” Jasper said. "Just incase."

She looked at Jacob, who shrugged. “I wasn’t gonna leave you alone with him regardless.”

Bella and Rosalie both rolled their eyes, but the blonde then simply turned on her heel and went to the kitchen to join the others. Bella looked over her shoulder, but Edward and Alice were nowhere to be seen. 

Jasper was looking at her oddly.

“What?”

“Only you would want to be alone with the person who tried to kill you,” Jasper said, his voice amused.

“Well you haven’t been poking at my emotions like you usually do, so at least I know I actually want to.” Bella crossed her arms over her chest as Jasper’s eyebrows rose.

“You can feel that?” He asked, his voice more than a touch curious.

“Is that weird?” Bella inquired. She felt self-conscious suddenly. “Is it like Edward’s thing?”

“No,” Jasper said. “Because I _can_  do it, but it’s more of a challenge with you than it... should be.”

He was regarding her strangely. Jacob cleared his throat. “Didn’t you have something to say, Bella? I’m pretty sure there’s a bunch of vampires waiting to throw you a party.”

“Oh, yeah,” Bella remembered. Jasper shifted from one foot to the other, the only indication that he was nervous. “What I wanted to say was that I did not, and will never, blame you for what happened at the last party. And that I’m sorry for being careless and almost causing a relapse for you. I know it was an accident, but I want you to know that it absolutely wasn’t your fault in any way.”

Jasper’s expression slowly melted into disbelief. “That’s not true. I tried to _kill_  you, Bella. As in, _murder you_ , kill you. I should have hunted before the party. I know my limits and I ignored them. It was my fault.”

Bella shook her head. “You would have been okay if Edward hadn’t thrown me into that table. And if I hadn’t been stupid and just asked for help like a normal person does when they have trouble opening things.”

“Wait, Edward did _what?_ ” Jacob cut in.

“It’s not important,” Bella waved him off, focusing on Jasper again. He was looking a bit better now, but still harbored an air of guilt around him. “Not that there’s anything to forgive, but incase you need to hear it; I forgive you.”

“Thank you, Bella,” Jasper replied seriously, giving her a grateful smile. “I’d like to talk again, when you have time. I owe you an explanation.”

“I’m free tomorrow?” She suggested, and Jasper nodded in acceptance. Bella smiled and took a still-confused Jacob by the arm, dragging him towards the snack table. “Just don’t try and eat me again, cool?”

Jasper’s laughter rang through the foyer. “I’ll do my best.”

The rest of the night went off without a hitch.

Excluding Alice’s earlier comment, the Cullens were very welcoming to Jacob. Esme hugged him as soon as she returned from the kitchen, followed by Rosalie carrying trays of appetizers. Bella tried to insist it was too much for just the both of them, but Jacob put it away like he was getting paid to. Esme was over the moon from all of his praise towards her food. He and Emmett got along immediately, the entire room groaning as Emmett promised Jacob an arm-wrestling match. 

To their surprise, Rosalie asked Jacob a question about the engines for the bikes he was rebuilding, and they launched into a discussion about mechanics that no one else in the room could really follow. Bella was a little envious of how easily Jacob had won Rosalie over when she had yet to, but she was more happy than anything that her worlds were merging with little struggle. 

When Edward and Alice returned, the brunette's face was solemn. She approached Bella and Jacob slowly, her usually-bouncy steps decidedly heavy. Before anyone could say anything, Alice cleared her throat and wrapped her arms around herself, looking up at Jacob. He glanced at Edward in confusion, but Edward just gestured towards his sister.

“I apologize for what I said earlier, Jacob,” Alice started, her voice regretful. “I was upset, and a little jealous, and I said something stupid and rude and unacceptable. I hope you’ll forgive me. Thank you for taking care of my sister when I didn't.”

Jacob nodded once at her, his expression relaxed. “No harm done.”

She smiled at him gratefully and then turned to Bella, who was putting her plate back on the table and pretending like she hadn’t just been trying to shove four mozzarella sticks into her mouth at once.

“It’s fine, Alice, you don’t have to say anything.”

“I want to,” Alice insisted, reaching her tiny hands out to take Bella’s. “I have to.”

She breathed out slowly. “Edward and I just… talked,” she said, her voice growing weaker by the second. “And he told me what we did to you. And I need you to know that I’m sorry for going along with it. I’m sorry for disappearing, too. I wish I could have seen the pain you went through before it happened, so I could have called this whole stupid decision off. I missed you so much—you can ask any of them. I talked about coming back every day.”

“She did,” came Carlisle’s voice unexpectedly. Bella looked up to see him approaching with Esme, their hands clasping together. “Not a day went by that we didn’t think about coming back for you, Bella.”

Bella swallowed roughly, and then pulled Alice into a hug. She met Carlisle’s eyes over the girl’s shoulders, smiling at him tearily. It was exactly what she had needed to hear to start feeling like she belonged with them again. They still wanted to be her family.

Alice hugged her back tightly, and then Emmett came storming to wrap them both up in his arms. They laughed as Edward joined, then Esme, then Carlisle. Jacob stayed out of it; he wasn’t  _that_  comfortable yet. The Hale twins stood apart, watching their family bear hug Bella. Rosalie stared at the group with an odd look on her face, but Jacob couldn’t decipher it.

She didn’t seem angry, which was a start.

The hug broke up after a few moments, Esme gently wiping Bella’s tears and Alice fussing with her hair. Bella giggled, her cheeks flushed and her expression happy.

* * *

 

Bella, Jacob, and Edward all stood on the balcony, looking up at the partially-cloudy night sky. She could see a few stars twinkling in the gaps between the clouds, and it made her smile. The muted sound of Esme's favorite record could be heard through the walls, rich and enchanting.

The Cullens were dancing on the floor below, swaying, each couple in their own little world. That's where the three of teenagers had left them.

Bella’s heart ached when she had been watching them. She imagined herself among them, beautiful and immortal, eternally in love.

The only problem was that when she pictured her partner, she saw two different faces.


End file.
